Lewes BPW needs broader look at wastewater treatment options

The Lewes Board of Public Works is planning far-reaching changes to the Lewes wastewater treatment facility currently operating in the low marsh lands off American Legion Road. BPW’s plans would benefit from broader consideration by the Lewes community. The BPW and its consulting engineers presented their evaluation of six options for future Lewes wastewater treatment at a sparsely attended public meeting Jan. 30. While professionally done, BPW’s evaluation includes limiting assumptions consequential to the Lewes community. Furthermore, qualitative assessments of continued autonomous decision making and cleaner-than-required wastewater effluent to our canals and beaches were not clearly captured in the BPW assessment.  

The BPW analysis strongly favors two options that cede wastewater treatment to Sussex County, servicing Lewes through BPW. One limiting assumption strongly supporting the Sussex County advantage is the exclusion of capital costs for Sussex County operation. Although BPW will not bear these capital costs, it is unreasonable to think that residents and homeowners of Lewes will not pay their share one way or another. Including $100 million to $200 million of construction costs for required Sussex County facilities would level the evaluation of all options and reduce the apparent advantage of Sussex County operation.  

Another limiting assumption of the BPW analysis is that the future Lewes wastewater treatment quality standard will meet the requirements of an existing NPDES permit issued by Environmental Protection Agency under the Clean Water Act. Currently, Lewes treats its wastewater to a significantly cleaner level than the minimum standards of the existing NPDES permit, while BPW’s engineering projections assume effluent quality degrading to the required NPDES minimums. Missing from BPW’s analysis is a clear determination of what Lewes wastewater quality standards should be to meet the future needs of the Lewes community. These needs will be shaped by a changing environment and rapid development in and around Lewes.  

The BPW analysis also assumes future wastewater capacity requirements and flood risks based on a variety of current projections. These kinds of assumptions are entirely reasonable from an engineering point of view, but the Lewes community may want to consider what will happen when reality confounds current expectations and projections turn out to be wrong. Which options provide Lewes the best protection then? The currently favored options for Sussex County operation may turn out best, after all, but a clear determination recommends itself.

After all, the existing BPW wastewater treatment facility dates back to 2008 and Lewes is still paying off the bonds for its construction. Rising flood risk has exceeded expectations in this very short time. How much additional resiliency should the new facilities include? None of us have a crystal ball. But BPW should clearly describe the level of resiliency it is planning and solicit community input.

BPW should be commended for acting timely and responsibly to address the clear and present risks that increased flooding represents to the existing Lewes wastewater treatment plant. A broader range of community interests should inform decisions about what to do next.